“O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.”
Daniel 9:19
Daniel 9:19
I just had a friend email me, asking me to pray for her about something that she going to do tomorrow. How timely today's reading is! Daniel's prayer on behalf of himself and the exiles was urgent, passionate and heartfelt. You could tell he meant every word.
So many times we commit to pray for others then when we sit down to pray aren't really sure what to say. We can use our key verse as a model to teach us how to pray. Our model uses some key action words: hear, forgive, listen, and act. What exactly was Daniel asking the Lord? Let's break down the words for a better understanding.
- hear: hear, listen, obey, consent, yield to, give, heed, perceive by ear
- forgive: pardon which means release from the penalty of the offense
- listen: be attentive, heed, incline
- act: to do, accomplish, make, produce
Seeing these key words broken down we can clearly see what Daniel was asking the Lord. Could it be something like this?
Lord, listen and perceive with your ear. (He was telling the Lord to listen. Wow!) I know that I have sinned. Will you release me and your children from the penalty of that sin? Be attentive and incline your ear to my prayer accomplishing and producing its outcome. Please do it now, for your sake and for the sake of your children as well as the city that bears your name.
I love the outline of this prayer. Daniel prayed, confessing specific sins and proclaiming praises for what the Lord had already done for them. Then he ends his prayer very non-specific, leaving the Lord room to listen and act according to His good pleasure.
When I pray for others I feel like I am supposed to "think" of what to pray or I am given specifics to pray. Verse 19 gives me freedom to pray without an agenda, without specifics, without a desired outcome. We allow God to listen to our heart. The apostle Paul has a thing or two to say about prayer in Romans 8:26-27:
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."
Let's combine the words of Daniel and Paul.
Oh Lord, hear the words of my heart, it is groaning in ways my words can't express but the Spirit can understand and will He will intercede for me.
Oh Lord, forgive me for my sin and with your grace pardon me from the penalty of that sin so that nothing will separate us.
Oh Lord, listen and act, allowing the Spirit to intercede for me according to God's Will.
I am so grateful for the privilege to pray and the freedom these verses Daniel and Romans offer. The Lord desires for us to live in freedom, don't you know He wants us to pray in freedom?
P.S.
As I was praying this morning I prayed this prayer-good stuff. Before I said amen I prayed it personally, toward the Lord about me-really good stuff:
Oh Lord, help me hear you.
Oh Lord, forgive me.
Oh Lord, help me listen and act upon what I hear you say.
P.S.
As I was praying this morning I prayed this prayer-good stuff. Before I said amen I prayed it personally, toward the Lord about me-really good stuff:
Oh Lord, help me hear you.
Oh Lord, forgive me.
Oh Lord, help me listen and act upon what I hear you say.
6 Comments:
This verse popped out at me, too. Great outline, Wendy. When Daniel prayed, I can hear and sense the urgency and passion through these words.
The part that also got me was at the end: for Your sake, for Your name. Wow.
Thanks for your daily commitment to this study Wendy! God bless you!
Thanks Wendy!
This weekend had it's challenges and yet with each blow I really felt calm..I know it was because God was with me - Us. My Sister-in-law committed Suicide. She was beat down most of her life and very depressed and insecure. In it I know she was saved and she is now at peace, but I am praying for peace and recovery for my Brother-in-law, and all family involved. (She had two teen sons from a previous marriage) Not Knowing exactly what they each need I pray God comforts them in the way they need most.
Secondly I found out that our 16yr old Granddaughter is 10 weeks pregnant. Not comfortable that she is equipped to handle life herself, she will now be needing to take care of her child. Her parents though understandably shaken, are very supportive and the whole family "village" will help to raise this child. I reassured her of God's love for her. And though I don't know her exact needs I pray that she draws closer to God that she and her child will live all the days of their life for God. That even though this is not God's perfect plan for her life that He is Omnipresent and can do all things in their life. He will give her Beauty for her Ashes.
Thanks everyone for listening - I'm not always good at sharing my life, but I'm working at it.
Blessings everyone,
Lynn - OR
Wendy~ Thank you...thank you this morning! I loved your P.S. too!
Daniel was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy, 6:4, and being so-the high officers became jealous of him!
However, he remained steadfast, "praying three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God" 6:10.
God punishes wrong-doer's and we see this play out today, 6:24.
And, the King learns who the True Living God is! PTL! 6:26
Why Should It Be So Easy For Us To Praise Our Father, All Day Long?
He is living! vs.26
He will endure forever! vs. 26
He rescues and saves his people! vs.27
He performs miraculous signs and wonders! vs. 27
Here, Daniel was about to be thrown into the den of lions! Did he go into a panic mode, like I'm sure I would have! Did he go to his friends? Did worry thoughts enter in his mind at that moment...well, no, the Holy Word, states he "went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God."
Whoa, to me this is HUGE. Not only did he pray, but he continued to give thanks to our God. And, I'm sure he was filled with God's peace, rather than worry, knowing and BELIEVING his God would be there with him, no matter what he had to endure.
I've heard this story many times, but for some reason, for me it just takes on a whole new meaning this morning. It seems to boil down to belief, doesn't it? Do we believe that our God is with us? Do we put our faith in Him, 100% of the time? God has a master plan for each one of us, and if we could just do what Daniel did.
HOW? To be filled with the Holy Spirit. To be transformed. To be walking with and listening to our Father, who will guide us along. To diligently read His Word, daily.
Good stuff today dear friends!
Hugs, Lori - AZ
Lynn, Thank you for opening up as now we can all pray for you. Two -and more-prayer's are better than going through it solo. My heart goes out to what you are going through, and I am so glad you are not in this alone; you have your Father, to cling to. Just like Wendy said, he's a God of forgiveness. He hears us, and he will listen to our prayers. Love & hugs dear Lynn!
Dear Lynn, my prayers surround you. My life too has been touched personally by suicide, and I actually blamed myself for a long time for not recognizing the signs and being able to intervene before a life was taken. I am praying for you and all those impacted...so very sorry.
My life has also been touched by a young teenage girl becoming pregnant. As you said, God can redeem and bring beauty from ashes. Praying the Lord will guide you as you love her with His love. Sending hugs your way this day.
Lori, isn't it thrilling when the familiar takes on new light? Two words came alive to me in the re-reading, "windows open". I mean, it was one thing to keep praying in secret, but Daniel was unashamed to pray where anyone could see him disobeying king Darius's order. Oh Lord, please keep me from ever being embarassed of bowing my head in public and acknowledging You. I often think of that passage in Luke 12:8-9 that says, "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God." I want to have a "windows open" faith.
Wendy, this post has just spoken so deeply to me. Throughout the summer the Lord has been specifically speaking to my heart re: prayer. I personally need to grasp again the power, not of prayer, but of our God to whom we pray. NOTHING is impossible with Him. Needing to spend more time with Him and trusting Him with all the concerns in my life.
The verse I highlighted today was such a blessing to me after yesterday's questions. It was like God was personally answering all my confusion of yesterday's post. “The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God.” Daniel 9:23
Oh Father, thank You. Thank You for this blessed assurance. After yesterday’s confusion comes today’s confidence. Lord, You have heard our cries. An answer is in place. We are not forgotten. A command has been given. Your response was immediate, but the fulfillment is still to come. Lord, help us trust between the cry and the completion. May Your presence fill the gap between our prayer and Your plan and purpose. Thank You for reminding me how precious I am to You. Thank You for the breath of encouragement Your Word has provided today. Oh, how I love You Lord.
Believing Him,
Joy
Wendy, loved the outline today... my heart is overwhelmed with all of the insights today. My mind has been in "pray without ceasing" mode, and I really needed this message.
Lynn, God can truly bring beauty out of ashes... because a teenage mother gave her baby up for adoption I knew the joy of being called "Mom" by the most precious little boy! Whatever decisions are made, if it is filtered and shaken through God's hands, you can trust the results to work according to His purpose for this precious life.
I am so sorry for the loss of your sister-in-law.We struggle to make sense of it, but all we can do is trust God to provide the healing grace to overcome the guilt and "if onlys". I will keep your family in prayer.
Susan
Friends,
I read these passages early this morning and underlined the same verse! I was not able to get on-line until now, and I have been refreshed all over again by your insights!
Wow Joy, Luke 12:8-9.... I do not want to be disowned before the Angels of God! Thank you for drawing my attention to this. Lori, you have blessed me with your insight. Lyn, I went back and prayed Daniel's prayer for you. Thank you for sharing your story and allowing us to share your burden in prayer.
I can't add anything to your assessments of today's reading. I hope you all have a blessed evening.
Karen, CA and Basel...
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